The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1887-11-19
1sRI- w EE X IL y EDITION.


pitied her. "You had better 60 to l.ed,
Nine. Arthur. You,know well enough
that lie has no idea Of returning to you
on his pay day."
j Then would follow advice mingled
with lille gossip. II would not act
thus were / in your place. Why not
complain to his master?n
But this sort Of commispration only
served to- make her weep the more, and
still hoping, she would patiently wait.
The doors opening into the silent alley
being closed, fancying herself alone,
and with that peculiar indifference Of
the lower classes, who live half Of their
lives in the street, she would lean on
her elbows and loudly relate her tale Of
suffering, thought having concentrated
upon the fixed idea Of her misery. Some
times it was the overdue rent, some
times the dunning trades-people, or per-
'haps tho baker, who refused to supply
her longer with bread; one OF all Of
these causes contributing to her worry.
What would happen were he again to
come home without money?
at last, growing weary Of listening
for his tardy footsteps, Of counting the
sluggish hours, SHE would so in, but
long afterward, when I imagined her at
rest, could hear some one coughing
on the other side Of the partition. Poor.
unfortunate womanl She was still there,
tortured by anxiety, straining her eyes
to penetrate the gloom, and seeing
nothing save her own distress.
One o'clock, 2 O'Clock, often later, g
voice might be heard singing at the end
Of the street. Arthur was returning.
Usually some comradc walked with him
as far us the door, sCome on, come
on, and even there he would loiter,
for, knowing full we'll what awaited
him beyond its threshold, he felt too
cowardly to knock. AS he mounted
the stairs the stiffness of the house lent
an emphasis to his heavy tread, and
made him experience something akin to
remorse. ITe would talk aloud to him.
self, pausing OH each wretched landing.
"Good evening, Nine. Weber; good
evening, Nine. Matthew,' and If the
salutations failed to elicit any response,
a storm Of curses followed until every
door and window opened, and his own
profanity would be returned with in
terest.
This was precisely what he wanted
When lie had been drinking, nothing
pleased him better than brawls, for,
thus fortified by anger, lie could weara
bolder face as he knocked at his own
door.
This homecoming was terriblel
"Opcn! let me in"
Then could hear the woman's bare
fcct crossing the floor, the striking Of
matches, and the man, even as he stun
blcd Ill trying to stammcr an excuse
always the same, however; bad COM
pany, foolish impulses. ALL the story
is all old onc--old as the hills, and the
woman never paid attention to it.
'The money!"
81 have no more,n Arthur's voice re-
piled.
'You lie!" SO he did, in fact, fos in
the midst Of his carousing ho always
managed to keep few SOUS, looking
forward to Monday, when his thirst
must again be satisfied, and il was for
this small balance of his wages that his
wife struggled. Arthur never yielded
it easily.
''Since l tell you," he exclaim ed,
chat L have spent it all OH drink"
Without answering a word, she would
angrily catch hold Of him, and with
her whole strength shake him, search
through his clothes and empty his poe
kets. In the course Of few minutes I
could hear money roll upon the ground,
tho woman seizing it with cry of
triumph.
"Ohl was right, you sec!' Then
an oath, heavy blows; the drmlald was
taking his revenge. After once giving
vent to his passion nothing could arrest
its food. All that is evil or destructive
in the vile liquor sold at low drinking
shops rose to his brain, seeking an out
let for it's wild frenzy. Tho wife
screamed; the children, rudely startled
from their sleep, began to cry, and the
very furniture of the miserable hovel
seemed TO echo these dismal, heartrend-
ing sounds. The window. would be
thrown open in the alley, and some
could be heard explaining:
'It Is Arthur, only ArthmI" Occa-
sionally the father-in-law, an old rag
picker living in the next house, would
run to his daughters assistance; but
Arthur, fearing interruption, always
took the precaution OF locking The door.
Then would ensue through the keyholc.
between the father and his son-in-law
revolving dialogue full Of horrible de-
tails:
'Ah, robberl" the old man would
cry, "wero your two years in Jail not
enough for you2' and tho drunken
wretch loudly answering:
Yes, for two years / was in prison;
what Of that2 / at least have paid my
debt to'Lhe world. Why do you not do
the 'same2"
1t was Arthur's habit to regard the
matter in fhis lirht: Je lad stnlon bo